Man Dead After Running Into Fire At 'Burning Man' Festival

A 41-year-old man has died after running into a burning effigy at the annual Burning Man festival in the United States.

Aaron Joel Mitchell burst through the security barriers and headlong into the flames as participants to the world-renowned festival watched 'The Man' burn, an annual tradition where a towering wooden structure -- an effigy of a man -- is lit on fire.

Shocking pictures show firefighters rushing after the man into the flaming structure, but were forced to abandon their efforts when conditions became too dangerous.

Jim Bourg / Reuters
A Burning Man participant evades a chasing firefighter and runs into the flames of the "Man Burn" after evading the attempted tackles of multiple rangers and law enforcement personnel.

Jim Bourg / Reuters
Firefighters are forced to abandon their attempted rescue of a Burning Man participant who ran into the flames of the "Man Burn" when the structure began to crumble and fall around them.

Firefighters eventually pulled the man from the site but he died in hospital from his injuries.

Organisers of the festival, held at Black Rock Desert, north of Reno, are shocked by the incident and offering counselling to tens of thousands of witnesses.